SC stops Cagayan governors House detention

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has stopped the House of Representatives from detaining Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba over his failure to attend the hearings of the   House committees on public accounts and on suffrage and electoral reforms.

Mamba was placed under the custody of the joint House panels  after he surfaced before the chamber yesterday.

The SC said it furnished a copy of a temporary restraining order to the Cagayan police, House sergeant-at-arms and the two House committees.

Mamba was cited in contempt and ordered detained over his failure to attend congressional hearings on allegations that cash and other forms of assistance were given to registered voters and barangays in Cagayan during the 45-day public spending ban in the May 2022 elections campaign period.

Mamba has refused to attend the hearings of the joint panels in the past three months, according to the two House  committees.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has welcomed Mamba’s surrender and assured the governor of protection while under the custody of the chamber.

“The House is fully committed to adhering to all established legal procedures and safeguards throughout this process, ensuring fairness and due process,” Romualdez said.

Also cited in contempt was the Cagayan provincial information officer, for disobeying summons without legal basis. – Neil Jayson Servallos